'We don't have very many good treatment options': CDC, health professionals warn about drug-resistant fungus

By: Emerson Lehmann

Posted: Mar 22, 2023 4:27 PM CST

NOW: ’We don’t have very many good treatment options’: CDC, health professionals warn about drug-resistant fungus

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sounding the alarm about a relatively new drug-resistant fungus, with cases rapidly increasing in the United States.

The CDC called Candida auris an "emerging fungus that presents a serious global health threat."

Between 2013 and 2016, 63 cases were reported in four states. In 2022, 2,377 cases were reported across 30 states and the District of Columbia.

"It is resistant to many of the drugs that we have available to treat patients," explained Dr. David Andes, head of the infectious disease division at UW Health. "It leads to death in anywhere from 30-50% of patients, in part, because we don't have very many good treatment options."

According to Wisconsin's Department of Health Services, seven cases were reported in the state in 2022, all in the southeast public health region. No deaths have been reported in the state in connection with the fungus.

According to Dr. Andes and the CDC, the fungus is most commonly found in health care settings, with most people infected already being treated in hospitals for a different illness. This can make detection difficult, with wide-ranging symptoms.

"I think that it's important for the health care community to be aware of this issue because we know that identifying patients with this early on can help us to prevent spread in the hospitals," Dr. Andes. said. "It's easily transmitted within a health care institution."

The doctor says precautions come in two parts, including isolating patients and using special disinfectants able to kill the fungus and prevent it from spreading.

As for the general public, Dr. Andes says people should not be concerned about contracting the disease in everyday life.

"I don't think people in the community should fear this fungus," Dr. Andes explained. "Again, we're primarily seeing it in health care institutions."

More information on the Candida auris fungus can be found here.